


Sweet Travels

by Mightybignein (Blueberryshortcake)



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, First Kiss, Short & Sweet, travel companions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-01-17
Packaged: 2019-10-11 15:58:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17449973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blueberryshortcake/pseuds/Mightybignein
Summary: Keg and Cali are sort of an odd couple when it comes to traveling companions, but Keg finds Cali endearing and Cali…





	Sweet Travels

**Author's Note:**

  * For [invoked_duplicity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/invoked_duplicity/gifts).



“I certainly do appreciate your help in this Miss Keg. Not a lot of people are willing to help me, and I don’t want to put anyone in danger so usually I have to travel all alone. It’s nice to have someone to talk to!” Cali grinned.

“Ah… sure.” Keg rubbed the back of her head. Honestly the only one that had really  been doing the talking was Cali. They had been traveling together for about a week. Apparently Jester, one of the people Beau saved sent a message to Cali to look Keg up. She didn’t quite get the jist of it. It was like Beau told Jester told Cali told her? Or something? Whatever. The short version was that they were traveling together now. Cali had a thing with a cult that she was trying to stay one step ahead of and as much as Keg would like to do the whole hero thing…

She was pretty broke…

Cali had the same problem it seemed so it sorta killed two birds with one stone. They could work together on the road as hired hands, watch each other’s backs, and fight the evil cult that did the bidding of an evil god. And, you know… have a few laughs… 

Right…

So here they were on the road. Cali unendingly perky, Keg mildly hungover. A pretty normal morning for them. Honestly Keg thought day one this partnership would never work. She gave herself three days before she got too frustrated with the cuteness. (You can’t trust cute, there has to be salt somewhere to even it out).

But…

She liked Cali.

She was sweet.

And somehow not annoyingly sweet. Just like… 

A caring sort of sweet? Asking how she was doing and how she slept. And when Keg was a bit overly… well, Keg she didn’t mind at all. 

_ ‘Oh no Miss Keg, I think you’re really nice actually. You haven’t tried to beat me up once!’ _

_ ‘Who tried to beat you up!?’ _

“It is.” Keg said suddenly. 

Cali tilted her head in surprise. “What is, Miss Keg?”

“Nice,” Keg almost choked on the word. She remembered travelling with Beau and how as bad at people as she was Beau was always trying to be better, which made Keg try to be better. As it was now, she fucked up a lot by herself. Cali had been talking about how nice things were hours ago…

“Oh!” Cali brightened. “Right?”

She liked trying for Cali though.

“We have a lot in common Miss Keg.”

Keg squinted at her. “Really? How do you figure?”

“Well… we’re both trying to fix past mistakes and make the world better.”

“I mean…yeah…” Keg nodded along. She scratched her head with the handle of her waraxe. She might not put it like that, but essentially that was what she wanted. Not sure if she would ever be square with all the mistakes she made but… working toward it made her feel better about herself. 

“And we’re both friends with the Mighty Nein!”

Keg coughed thinking of Beau and how friendly they had gotten. “I wonder what those chucklefucks are doing,” She snorted fondly. 

“I’m sure whatever it is, it’s very good,” Cali answered.

“You think?” Keg laughed. “I don’t know. I mean… I didn’t really meet the others, but I get the sense they’re probably doing something stupid. Like… I dunno. Stealing a boat. You said they were on the coast, right?” 

“Jester did say that yeah! But aw, I don’t think they’d do that. They’re very nice. Maybe they’re fighting pirates!”

“Cal, I think they’re more likely to  _ be  _ the pirates.”

Cali giggled. 

Keg felt her face heat up. 

Boy was it hot out here walking in the sun…

Oh, who was she kidding. 

Well… Cali for one. Sweet girl was really easy to get one over on. She had almost given all her gold to a fake tax man who said she was due on her taxes. 

_ ‘You don’t even own property Cali! You get away from her or I’m going to smack you. Shoo. SHOO!!’ _

So yeah… it was real easy hiding her feelings from her oblivious traveling companion.

Who was kind, and gentle, and earnest, and soft, and sweet…she even smelled good. 

But what did Keg have to offer? Gruff… kinda mean… couldn’t get through the day without a drink… couldn’t be bothered to shave much less pretty herself up. Cali was always beautifully put together in the morning with her little bows and ribbons. And she loved cute things.

Keg wasn’t cute… and definitely didn’t smell good.

Crap.

She casually moved to sniff herself and winced. 

“What are you doing, Miss Keg?”

Fuck. Still suck at stealth. 

“Uhhh, nothin’. Anyway we should be at the town soon. I think it’s just over this hill and then maybe a bit more after that?”

“Oh that’s great! It must be awful tiring in all that armor. Did you wanna rest at the top of the hill? You’re getting really red.”

Keg, if her internal temperature was anything to go by, went redder.

“Sure!” Keg squawked. “That’d be great!” Her voice was too high, why was her voice so high!?

“Perfect! We can have a little picnic,” Cali said happily. 

They finished the last climb of the hill. To both sides of the path was grass and wildflowers as far as the eye could see. 

“Oh Miss Keg, it’s beautiful up here! Look, there’s the town in the distance. We should make it before dusk even with a little rest.” 

Cali’s smile was so pretty.

Goddamn. She felt her mouth upturned already smiling back with her cigarette between her lips. Gods, she thought of herself as cold and hard but she certainly fell in love easy--

Not that--

Not that she…

Oh hell. 

Cali gracefully shook out a large blanket and carefully arranged herself on it. She patted beside her eagerly looking to Keg. 

Getting up in full plate once your down is a bitch so she started unbuckling it. 

“Did you need help? I know it takes an awful long time for you to do it alone.”

“Oh… yeah that would be a help.”

In an instant Cali was up. The slim clever fingers of one hand gently undid buckles while her strong claws on the other pulled it off.

_ I am going to combust.  _

“There!”

The armor was stacked on the ground and they were able to sit together on the blanket. Cali produced some of the food left over from their journey and laid it out. Keg leaned back. It was nice to be out of armor. Her shoulders were so tense. The wind blew threw her hair. Strong and refreshing after their long walk. 

“Sorry I’m not the best company.” Keg said after looking at the clouds for awhile. Cali was cleverly braiding wildflowers together. She had already given Keg a crown of daisies.

“What do you mean? You’re the best companion I’ve ever had!” Cali said quickly. She earnestly took one of Keg’s hands in hers. “No one has ever stayed with me as long as you. And you’re so nice to me just to be nice. You don’t expect anything after like money. You don’t try to trick me. You look after me. And you don’t think I’m…”

“I don’t think you’re what?” Keg blinked. She couldn’t look away from Cali’s wide hopeful eyes.

“You don’t think I’m a freak…” She said quietly.

“I--no of course not. You’re one of the most normal people I know honestly… I mean… have you met the Mighty Nein?”

Cali’s hand tightened around hers. Her smile was contagious. 

Slowly… shyly Keg leaned up a little, ready to pull away the moment confusion hit Cali’s eyes and write it off as… as something--anything--

Cali was kissing her.

Cali was kissing her!!!!

Cali had pushed forward pressing her soft lips against hers before Keg could pull away in defeat. 

_ My lips are chapped, I smell, my stubble is probably itchy-- _

But Cali didn’t pull away. Tentatively her hands came up on Keg’s shoulders. Keg pressed a little closer. 

She’s so soft.

They slowly parted. Now Cali’s face was red.

“I--I’m sorry Miss Keg. I only. I just. I wanted to. You make me feel so special. And I think you’re just so wonderful. I’m really sorry. I should have asked first. I understand if you--”

“Cal?”

“Yes?”

“I think you can just call me Keg now.” 

Keg leaned up and kissed her again. 


End file.
